2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

I've spent another 5 coupons, in Marks and Sparks, buying a gents' fine-wool crew-neck machine-washable jumper to wear as a base-layer underneath other clothing. 

I managed to get 'afterdrop' on Friday... I swam the usual length of time, the water was only half a degree lower.... but crucially, I got out into 2ºC air with a bitter wind blowing and very wet splashy sleet hammering down... and luckily my companions spotted the warning signs ("Are you ok? Your lips have gone blue...") and bundled me into a car and got me straight home and all was well by mid-afternoon! 'Afterdrop' is when your core temp continues to drop after you get out of the water, and basically it's early/mild hypothermia.... so it was deeply unpleasant but no lasting problems! 

And a new thin pure-wool layer to wear against my skin... 

And the previous weekend I bought the wool-silk fabric. I need to update my signature! 

Cherryfudge

Crumbs, @Laura_Elsewhere, I'm glad you (wisely) swim with friends. One of my sons got hypothermic when out for a run a few years ago and tried to ring us for help but we missed the call. Thankfully he got back to his car and turned the heat up, but it took a while to get back to normal. It's too easy to get into that situation, I dread to think how many people haven't had heating on because of the cost.

I wonder why it affected you not the others?

Laura_Elsewhere

@Cherryfudge - ironically, I'm renowned for "not feeling the cold"... which is not quite right, I am aware of the cold but I go into the water slowly but steadily, same as I do year-round, where most people in the colder months spend ages squealing and shrieking and swearing or run in making a huge splash... 
I was tired, as we'd had an outing the night before, and tiredness is known to be a factor, and I was a bit anxious as we've a total of four nights out in five days (I put my foot down and refused to go to the 5th one insisting on a day off in the middle!), so that might have been factors... it always affects everyone differently, and affects one person differently on different days, so it's a useful reminder to us all to monitor ourselves! I felt absolutely fine and was surprised when they asked if I was ok... 

When I got home and got into bed, my torso and limbs were all purple-blotchy- I haven't seen my skin do that since I was 12-14 and forced to spend 80 minutes standing still in horizontal sleet on an exposed Scottish hilltop.... every9one else ran round playijng hockey to keep warm but the teachers insisted on taking my glasses off (in case they got broken and someone was cut) and I can't move without them so all I could do was stand still with a hockey match happening around and occasionally over the top of me, virtually blind and absolutely freezing. (Eventually I developed a bit of a 'thing' about PE, can't imagine why...). 
I think it was about five hours before my skin stopped being cold, so I was lucky not to have had worse. 

Nonnadiluca

Several years ago when DH was doing triathlons, he did a half ironman at Weymouth. Although it was summer it was cold and very wet and after a 1,2 mile sea swim and a 56 mile cycle he was so cold that he couldn't get his feet out of his cycling shoes. He had done this distance a few times before, including in the Welsh mountains, with no problems,and would have continued if he had been able to move! I got him dry and into all of his clothes, sat him in the cafe with my coat draped over him, and plied him with hot chocolate and it was quite a while before he was okay. Didn't stop him competing though! Glad you're ok now Laura.

Cherryfudge

@Laura_Elsewhere, that hockey experience sounds horrific. No wonder you went off PE! So glad you have recovered from this latest episode and are warm again. I suppose body temperature often drops when people get tired - that's when I am mostly likely to feel the cold.

Cherryfudge

@Nonnadiluca, your husband's experience shows we can all be vulnerable, doesn't it! Even in summer in Dorset! Again, it's good you were with him and able to help.

Cherryfudge

@Laura_Elsewhere, I was just having a look at your signature: well done on the reverse couponing! Are you only including things you make from new, or does mending count?

PipneyJane

@Nelliegrace, I’m so sorry to hear that the WI Country Market is closing.  So sad, particularly since it is 100 years old.  Also, nice gloves!

@Laura_Elsewhere, that’s quite a scare! Glad you’re OK.  (Also, I completely understand your dislike of PE.  Your PE teachers were total Numpties.)

@dND biggest question:  do the socks still fit?  Fingers crossed. I’ve knitted socks in that same L!dl yarn, machine washed them on the “wool” cycle multiple times, and they also a bit fuzzy and a little felted, but they still fit.   They’ve never got smaller.  Hopefully, you’ve got lucky.

Apologies all for being MIA.  We went away for a long weekend and just got home. It was bitterly cold but we managed to dodge the worst of the weather.   Highlight was a day at the “Golf, Chess and Cheese Society” museum at Bletchley Park (otherwise known as the Goverment Code and Cypher School).  I am still gobsmacked that the Government were planning to sell off the whole estate for housing, before PM John Major stopped it back in the 1990’s.  The museum curators and volunteers have done an incredible job.  In many offices, it feels like the occupants have just stepped out for something.



I fell in love with this hat, which is very similar to one I purchased second-hand in Sterling, back in May.




- Pip

thriftwizard

That carpet...

I'd love to visit that museum, @PipneyJane! One day...

@Laura_Elsewhere I'm beginning to worry about this cold-water swimming lark; I've always swum in the sea (and occasionally rivers & lochs) but generally when the weather's warm, and both OH's sisters-in-law & also DD1 & various friends indulge from time to time, but lately I'm hearing of rather a lot of near-misses - do take care of yourself!

Lots of fabulous vintage silk clothing acquired this week, but none of it for me! Down at the recycling warehouse, the bins were full of absolute treasure; I think a local vintage emporium must have closed down, as some of it still had price labels in. DD2, being a slender creature, has acquired herself a whole new winter wardrobe, in silk, leather, cashmere & mohair designer labels, all for under a tenner! I may keep one rather practical tweed-skirt-with-pockets from my haul, if I can get into it. But as we have also moved DS3 back in, having relinquished his unequal battle with landlords, rent & bills, with all his washing, it'll be some time before I can get it clean & try it on.

Laura_Elsewhere

thriftwizard said:

@Laura_Elsewhere I'm beginning to worry about this cold-water swimming lark; I've always swum in the sea (and occasionally rivers & lochs) but generally when the weather's warm, and both OH's sisters-in-law & also DD1 & various friends indulge from time to time, but lately I'm hearing of rather a lot of near-misses - do take care of yourself!

Don't worry!  

Most outdoor swimmers get after-drop form time to time, but so long as it is caught quickly and treated then it leaves no after-effects of any kind. 
More to the point, anecedotally, in a group of swimmers, they reckon only one gets after-drop each winter because everyone else is then extra-careful I am swimming tomorrow and yes, I shall be extra-extra-careful...